Google Lens is no longer Pixel-exclusive, now rolling out to all Android phones

Google Lens is no longer Pixel-exclusive, now rolling out to all Android phones

The roll out is currently for Android only, but Google says that iOS users will get Lens in Google Photos soon as well.

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Sanket Vijayasarathy

New Delhi

March 7, 2018

UPDATED: March 8, 2018 10:50 IST

Google Lens - the search giant's visual search service that uses AI and machine learning to recognise the surroundings - will no longer be limited to Pixel smartphones as the company started rolling the feature out broadly for all Android phones this week. This means that any Android user with the latest version of Google Photos app installed will be able to use Lens to identify their environment or scan business cards, among other things. The roll out is currently for Android only, but Google says that iOS users will get Lens in Google Photos soon as well.

Google Lens was first announced at I/O 2017, the company's developer conference that took place last May. The service relies heavily on AI and machine learning to recognise certain objects like a flower, a restaurant or a landmark by pointing the phones camera at it. Once Lens recognises something, it brings up relevant information on it and further allows you to perform certain actions. Following the roll out, Lens will be found within the Google Photos app. For Pixel owners, Lens is also available within Google Assistant as well, but this feature will not be coming to other Android phones just yet.

Rolling out today, Android users can try Google Lens to do things like create a contact from a business card or get more info about a famous landmark. To start, make sure you have the latest version of the Google Photos app for Android, Google tweeted from its Photos account.

Lens can be activated within Google Photos by opening the app and tapping on the Lens icon on the bottom bar. Point the phones camera to an object or thing that you would like some information about and Lens will try to bring up whatever it can find. One of the more notably aspects of Lens includes the ability to automatically connect to a Wi-Fi network by pointing the camera to the routers username and password.

Google in a blog post last month announced that Lens will be available to all Google Photos English-language users on the latest version of the app on Android and iOS over the coming weeks. The company also said that compatible flagship devices will get Lens within Google Assistant as well. However, there is no word on when the service for Assistant will roll out and which flagship devices will be getting the feature.

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